Collecting X-Men regular series as Graphic Novels

The definitive, chronological, and up-to-date guide on collecting X-Men ongoing series – including X-Men solo series – via omnibuses, hardcovers, and trade paperback graphic novels. A part of Crushing Krisis’s Crushing Comics. Last updated April 2016 with titles scheduled for release through December 2016.

he X-Men universe consists of a lot of comic titles as one of Marvel’s most-popular properties and the first after Spider-Man to develop its own set of spin-off series.

Ever since the successive launch of New Mutants, X-Factor, Excalibur, and Wolverine in the 1980s there have never been less than five X-titles in circulation counting both team books and X-Men solo series.

The biggest titles with the lengthiest runs tend to be team books, followed by X-Men solo endeavors from Wolverine, Cable, and Deadpool. However, there are many other X-Men ongoing series that last just a few years and are less collected than their more popular brethren.

This page lists every X-Men ongoing title that occurred in the main Marvel Universe (Earth-616). “Ongoing” means the titles – however brief – were not advertised as limited series (i.e., headlined with “Issue # of N”). The biggest, most-long-running titles will link to their own guides, but titles with a shorter lifespan are explained right here.

Amazing Adventures (1972-1973)#11-17: Depicts the transformation of The Beast to the fuzzier form we know and love today. Beast stories are collected in Marvel Masterworks: X-Men, Vol. 7 (ISBN 0785130497).

This title became the reprints-only X-Men Classicwith issue #45. Stories fit with established continuity as follows:

#19 is a pre-XM#1 Magneto story, but can be read as a flashback after his fight in XM#113

#41-42 is a pre-XM #1 Cyclops story

#16 prior to XM #28, as it’s actually the earliest Banshee and Black Tom story (can also read with XM#99, Tom’s debut)

#1 fits during and after Giant-Size X-Men

#5 & 10 during #94 and #2 after XM#94

#3 after XM#95

#4 after XM#96

#14 either during XM#97 or prior to XM#107 (depending on if you want earlier behind-the-scenes action revealed before you as the reader knew it was occurring or if you want to learn later in the context of the Shi’Ar story.)

#6 after XM#97

#16 before or after XM#99, as it’s actually the earliest Banshee and Black Tom story and XM#99 is Tom’s debut

#7 during XM#99 (though this will spoil White Queen and you may prefer to hold it for XM#129)

#8 after XM#100

#9 during XM#101

#11 as a bridge from XM#103-104 for Storm

#15 after XM#106 (this is the earliest Starjammers story)

#14 either during XM#97 or prior to XM#107 (depending on if you want earlier behind-the-scenes action revealed before you as the reader knew it was occurring or if you want to learn later in the context of the Shi’Ar story.)

#43 after XM#137 for Phoenix (though you may wish to hold it until either XM#199 or the lead-up to X-Factor #1 for spoiler purposes related to the Phoenix Force (I need to read it to recommend which is better))

#44 before Ms. Marvel #16 for Mystique and before Avengers Annual 10 and XM#158 for Rogue, though it follows directly to the story in Marvel Fanfare #60

Cloak & Dagger in Strange Tales (1987-1988)
#1-19: This title was a split with Dr. Strange. See Cloak & Dagger

Cloak & Dagger, The Mutant Misadventures of (1988-1991)
#1-19: Dropped the title prefix as of issue #14. See Cloak & Dagger

Cyclops (2014 – 2015)
Cyclops’s first ongoing series! A title following the spacefaring adventure of a time-displaced young Cyclops with his father Corsair. This series was seriously (and surprisingly) great.

The Defenders (1972-1986)
Originally an Avengers B-team anchored by Dr. Strange and The Hulk. Starting with issue #123 this title starred Angel, Beast, and Iceman before they moved on to X-Factor. See Defenders for collection information.

Magneto (2014 – 2015)
Magneto’s first ongoing series! Follows his vengeful exploits after his departure from Uncanny X-Men, Vol. 3. This is a delightfully dark and engaging series which I highly recommend.

[Ed. Note: This series was surprisingly excellent, and worth tracking down in trade. The first volume, especially, has a horror/Lovecraft vibe and co-stars Storm.]

Nightcrawler, Vol. 4 (2014 – Present)
Originally planned as a third series of X-Men: Legacy, this instead became aChris Claremont written X-Men solo book! It felt very like the middle bit of Claremont’s Excalibur, with much swashbuckling, romance, and kids in danger!

NYX (2003-2005)
NYX was a foul-mouthed look at what it meant to become a mutant in inner-city NYC. Notably for its adult themes and extremely-late delivery, it was an ongoing but was cancelled after just seven issues.

Quicksilver (1997-1998)
This series picks up sometime after the events of Onslaught, and is followed by Magneto Rex #1-3. Includes two crossovers – one with Captain America, Iron Man, and Avengers, the other with Heroes for Hire.

Sentinel (2003-2004)The story of his boy and his refurbished Sentinel (think Iron Giant). Though this was marketed as “Marvel Age,” the character was later brought into mainstream continuity with Avengers Academy. That means this story is probably canon.

Warheads (1992)#1-14: Not collected. A Marvel UK comic featuring Wolverine and other X-Men. Generally Marvel UK titles are not included in ongoing continuity, unless plot points are picked up by an Excalibur title.

Warlock (1999)
#1-9: Not collected. Part of the M Tech line along with X-51 and Deathlok.

X-51 (1999-2000)
#0 & 1-12: Not collected, except for issue #8 in Ages of Apocalypse, Vol. 2. No relation to X-23, X-51 is actually Machine Man, an obscure character originating from the adaptation of 2001: A Space Odyssey. In this series he has the power of a sentinel. He would go on to appear in Ms. Marvel.

X-Man (1995-2001)
X-Man originated as the Age of Apocalypse version of Cable, but it continued back in standard X-continuity. While the title initially began with standard X-book superhero fare, it drifted into alternate realities and mysticism. Ultimately, it did not have a major impact on the overall X-Men continuity.

X-Men: First Class – Finals – Digest-sized. A four-issue mini-series that bridges from the original X-Men to the 1974 relaunched roster. Also collects X-Date mini-comic and the classic Giant-Sized X-Men #1, which follows this story.

X-Men: The Hidden Years (1999-2001)
This John Byrne written and drawn series tells stories set in the gap between X-Men #66 and the flagship’s relaunch in Giant-Sized X-Men.

X-Men Unlimited, Vol. 1 (1993-2003)
#1-50: Began as an oversized, quarterly series highlighting one-shot X-Men solo stories of various characters in the X-universe. Changed to a monthly anthology format in 2003. Portions of this comic are occasionally included in collections of other titles to fill in the background of a story, along with one Unlimited-exclusive collection.

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